Sunday Puzzle

2:29 am

Sun March 17, 2013

Take Your Pics

On-air challenge: Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with the letters P-I and the second word starts with C. For example, given "One of 27 compositions by Mozart" you would say "(Pi)ano (C)oncerto."

Last week's challenge: Think of two familiar three-word sayings in which all three words are the same length. The middle word in both sayings is the same. In each saying, the first and last words rhyme with each other. What two sayings are these?

Answer: Haste makes waste; might makes right

Winner: Stephen Leahy of Marshfield, Mass.

Next week's challenge from Tyler Hinman: Take an eight-letter word for something used in water. Phonetically remove a word for something else used in water. Squish what is left together. The result, phonetically, will be a verb describing what water does. What words are these?

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Thursdayat 3 p.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Transcript

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin. And I hope you've eaten your Wheaties, because it is time for the puzzle.

MARTIN: So, I know last weekend was a big one for you. How did it turn out? How was the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament?

SHORTZ: I always forget just how much fun it is. We had 572 contestants. The winner was Dan Feyer, who's a pianist in New York City. He's just amazingly fast. It's the fourth time in a row that he's won.

MARTIN: Wow.

SHORTZ: Do you know Ophira Eisenberg, who hosts Ask Me...

MARTIN: Oh, yeah, yeah.

SHORTZ: ...Another on NPR? She did playoff commentary. She was funny. Just a lot of fun. You can go to YouTube and search crossword tournament 2013 and watch the finals. And you can order the puzzles online or by mail at CrosswordTournament.com.

MARTIN: OK. Well, I might do that this weekend. All right, Will, remind us what was last week's challenge.

SHORTZ: Yes. Last week, I asked you to think of two familiar three-word sayings in which all three words were the same length. I said the middle word in both saying is the same. And in each saying, the first and last words rhyme with each other. What two sayings are these? Well, the sayings were haste makes waste and might makes right. And all these words have five letters each.

MARTIN: OK. Well, we got more than 550 correct answers this week. And our randomly selected winner is Stephen Leahy of Marshfield, Massachusetts. He joins us on the line. Congratulations, Stephen.

STEPHEN LEAHY: Thank you very much.

MARTIN: OK. So, how'd you figure this one out?

LEAHY: Well, I figured this out by marrying the right woman. My wife and I listen to this together each Sunday and we spend about an hour, hour and a half trying to figure it out and then we go our separate ways. And finally my wife came across it, and so I have to give her some credit.

MARTIN: I love it. So, how long did it take you - or her rather?

LEAHY: Right. It took her about two days to figure it out and about two days to get me to send it in.

MARTIN: Well, good for her for persevering. OK. Stephen, without further ado, are you ready to play the puzzle?

LEAHY: She said if I put her on the radio she won't be my wife anymore.

MARTIN: OK, good. All right. Let's not put her on the radio.

SHORTZ: All right. Today, we're going to take some PICs, or quick pictures. Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with the letters P-I and the second word starts with C. For example, if I said one of 27 compositions by Mozart, you would say piano concerto.

MARTIN: OK. I think I've got it. Stephen, you OK?

LEAHY: I think so too.

MARTIN: Yeah. All right. Let's try.

SHORTZ: Number one: it comes from an evergreen.

LEAHY: Pine cone.

SHORTZ: That's it. Number two: a linen item accompanying a sheet.

LEAHY: Pillow case.

SHORTZ: Um-hum. Group that services a racecar during a race.

LEAHY: Pit crew.

SHORTZ: Um-hum. Item in which to stick unused needles.

LEAHY: Pin cushion.

SHORTZ: Um-hum. Place to hear birds coo. And, first of all, what kind of bird coos?

LEAHY: A pigeon coop.

SHORTZ: There you go. Busy part of London where Regent Street and Shaftesbury Avenue meet.

LEAHY: Piccadilly...

SHORTZ: Yes. Piccadilly what? And it starts with soft C rather...

LEAHY: Circle.

SHORTZ: No.

MARTIN: So close.

LEAHY: Not circle?

MARTIN: No. It's a place you take your kids with the clowns.

LEAHY: Oh, circus. Piccadilly Circus.

SHORTZ: There you go - Piccadilly Circus, good. Title car in a Bruce Springsteen song. I'll tell you the C word is a make of car and P-I car is a color.

LEAHY: Are we talking Pink Corvette?

SHORTZ: Well, pink is right. And it's a...

MARTIN: Bigger.

SHORTZ: ...it's an American car that's thought to be expensive and luxury.

LEAHY: Pink Cadillac.

SHORTZ: There you go. Your next clue: soowee.

MARTIN: That was good, Will.

LEAHY: Pig call.

SHORTZ: Pig call is it. A classic two-seat airplane.

LEAHY: A Piper Cub.

SHORTZ: There you go. Hard outer part of the baked dessert.

LEAHY: Pie crust.

SHORTZ: There you go. And your last one: cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice.

(SOUNDBITE OF HUMMING)

SHORTZ: With the key being pineapple juice.

(SOUNDBITE OF HUMMING)

SHORTZ: It comes with a little umbrella.

MARTIN: I'm giving you a musical clue, Stephen.

LEAHY: We you can tell by - I'm not - I don't have much variety.

MARTIN: (Singing) If you like...

LEAHY: Pina colada.

MARTIN: Yeah, pina colada.

SHORTZ: Pina colada, good job.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: Stephen, that was very well done. Good job. For playing the puzzle today, you'll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin, as well as puzzle books and games. You can read all about it at npr.org/puzzle.

And before we let you go, what is your public radio station?

LEAHY: Public radio station, there are two: WBUR and WGBH, both in Boston.

MARTIN: Great, Stephen Leahy of Marshfield, Massachusetts. Stephen, thanks for playing the puzzle.

LEAHY: Thank you so much. It was great fun.

MARTIN: OK, Will. What's the challenge for next week?

SHORTZ: Yes, the challenge comes from Tyler Hinman who finished third last weekend at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

Take an eight-letter word for something used in water. Phonetically remove a word for something else used in water. Squish what's left together. The result, phonetically, will be a verb describing what water does. What words are these?

So again. An eight-letter word for something used in water. Phonetically remove a word for something else used in water. And what's left, phonetically, will be a verb describing what water does. What words are these?

MARTIN: When you have the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle and click on the Submit Your Answer link - just one entry per person, please. And our deadline for entries is Thursday, March 21st at 3 P.M. Eastern.

Please include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time. And if you're the winner we will give you a call, and you will get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master, Will Shortz.